We Eat All the Fries at Edzo's in Chicago

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To commemorate the end of Amy's momentous quest for the best cheese fries in Chicago, we needed an equally epic and ridiculous finale, an event where our whole group could gather and celebrate the glory of French fries. After some contemplation, we couldn't think of anything more foolish than attempting to eat all the fry combinations at Edzo's Burger Shop. Sure, we'd get to sample some cheese fries—and Amy could try her 17th—but that was just the tip of this freshly-fried and extra crispy iceberg.

Owner Eddie Lakin obviously knows how good his fries are, because he dedicates a significant portion of the menu to them, with ten regular menu items, along with a daily special. Normally, adding other ingredients to fries indicates that the they are mediocre and need to be covered up with something. But anyone who has eaten here knows that is not the case.

Part of their success is due to Edzo's amazing attention to detail. Hand-cut and fried to a light brown, each and every fry is extra crispy, yet pillowy and soft inside. Instead of haphazardly showering the fries with salt, which misses the poor spuds on the bottom, they are seasoned in a large bowl and tossed to ensure even coverage. In fact, though they might not get the same kind of media attention as the wonderful duck fat fries at Hot Doug's, we think they are equals.

The same care carries over to the introduction of toppings. Lakin could have just put together ten sauces and used a ladle to pour them on, but each is carefully prepared to highlight the different flavors. Honestly, we didn't expect each to be so unique.

The Lineup

Thanks, Eddie!

We couldn't have done this without the help of Eddie and his crew. Nine of us arrived on Saturday when the doors opened at 10:30 a.m. He graciously let us take over half of the dining room, and kept the food coming until we were done. We stuck around for nearly an hour tasting them all. Oh, and we might have ordered a few burgers and shakes to complete the meal. It only seemed like the right thing to do.